Not Just Plain Quiche

The quiche I made for a Thanksgiving appetizer turned out well. It was so nice to cook on a cloudy, Fall day and contributing something to the special pre-dinner. I've had quiche so many times, but never once made it myself. There are variations to it, but all with the neccessary ingredients to make it taste and look like quiche:)

Just before going into the oven

Sometimes holidays such as Thanksgiving can bring nostalgia. Remebering Thanksgivings past, the memories, the company, the laughs and the happenings, all bound together. This year was new and refreshing, with a sense of calm, and comfort- making all the difference because I wasn't part of the hosting crew, and could enjoy all the hard work my sister and husband did in making a very special and thoughtful Thanksgiving meal.

I loved this recipe, not only because it was my first time trying it, but also because it had a variety of parts to it that made it more enjoyable to create. Mixing all of the ingredients together was fun, and seeing the texture come together was interesting, and making the dough in order for it to have a crust was a little time consuming, but also relaxing at the same time. I'm not used to rolling dough, and using flour and having it cling to my hands and clothes like it were sticky candy. I do want to get better at baking. I feel that I've become so comfortable with cooking, it's almost like there's no need to learn how to bake. But that's not true, I don't want to believe it either. I'm always up for an enticing challenge, and growing more comfortable in my skin which can feel like it has limits, but inside it denies that boxy category.

Pretty soon, I'll need to start making a (long) list of 2017 goals and challenges and ideas that I want to leap forward to do and create. And I think baking will be one of those items ready to make the mark. Of course, the race to finish my reading list/goal is still in the air, as well as a Winter chill and holiday cheer.The start of something new is about to come underway, It's coming quickly, but softly. It's not plain, or bland, but with lots of exotic and rich flavor. I'm excited for a new season to begin, a new year, and new ideas, goals, dreams and people. I hope you're excited as well, and join in with me!

Something Golden

The cold, brisk air is telling me that winter is coming soon. I wish Fall could last longer. The Fall I admire is the one where there are always sunny, and warm days with the trees glowing with golden and reddish leaves. There is always a bench to sit at and read a good book, or observe your surrondings. And it's always good weather for a long walk or a spontenous run. But sometimes unfortunately, Winter is the next season that carries over into the New Year- so maybe it's not all bad after all.

The flowers have fallen, just like the leaves

Hard to believe that it's already the middle of November. There are still so many things that I would like to accomplish, even this month alone. Still working on my reading regime as well as my Hindi- self taught lessons! If I could give myself a grade, I would say right now I deserve a B. I need and want to put in more time and effort as well as retaining the language. Although languages are time consuming and in full need of the regaining strength of perserverance, it always enjoyable and exciting to where it can lead you! I have a few phrases down, but by the end of the year, I am aiming to speak a couple of sentences well! I will have my list of things I want to do/accomplish before this year of 2016 is over, soon! And since it's still November, I want to write about my favorite saints, and even the ones that I want to have more devotion to. Wow, too many things....sometimes I wonder how will it be when I am a post grad with no job-yet, will I have enough things to do to keep me active, and busy and inspired? I would say most likely, since I always wanted more time to do them as a student. :)

This weekend I got to spend some nice, quality time with my sisters- a huge blessing in my life. I've tried counting my blessings when things seem to go array or when I'm down, and sometimes I don't know where to begin or even feel overwhelmed by it all. Being with my sisters is always a joy, and lifts me up since I know that they know me the best.

I would say we all look fairly different, but our chins are alike!

I love this time of day. You probably already know that by now since I have a good amount of sunset photos on here! But sometimes I really dislike it when I can't enjoy it  (I  just want to go on a nice long walk or run- or short, since it gets dark so fast) because I have to be somewhere. But thought I would take a picture of it anyway:)

The end of the year is quickly approaching. I am thinking about all that happened this year, and of course what will still happen for the rest of it. Processing what I learned, gained, hoped for and expereinced, my favorite moments and even my least favorite ones are all in there somewhere and brought me to where I am now, in this present moment, writing on Plum Tree, a blog that I never knew I would start or even keep up with. Cheers! And to many great moment to come!:)

Reading By The Minute

This week...hmm should I say eventful, busy, reflective, and even peaceful at times. I try to savor the little moments, like reading a book for 15 minutes, or even learning Hindi or going for run- since these things can be hard to do at times with the rest of my schedule somewhat packed and tight. I've learned that this is just the beginning, since there will always be busy times in life, it's just how you use the time (perhaps minutes) you've got.

I became concerned that I wasn't finishing as many books as I wanted this Fall. Yes, I have a pretty busy schedule, but it wasn't impossible. I also had a difficult time actually sticking to a book. I have an easy time finding some but once I flip some pages, I no longer feel that this book is for me. But I recently did stick to a book, till the end and made time to do so. I figured I didn't have to rush home with all the traffic. I could sit on a nice, inviting bench and read for about 10 or 15 minutes. I don't have to rush from activity to activity, instead I can slowly transition which will lead to less heart pounding, minute ticking in my head and just lead to more peace all around. I found that by reading on this nice bench at school, I was able to observe more- to enjoy my surrondings, not rush through life without appreciating all the things that are around me. I was able to watch passerbys and hear some of their conversations (such as the Presidency), and live in the moment, catch my breath. I noticed how much reading I could do in that short yet productive amount of time! It's all about being innovative with what you have, whether that be tangible or intagible goods.

The cherries behind me. I wouldn't have notcied them if I walked right by them and didn't stop and sit on that bench.

I saw this tree, and I my mind immediatley thought of these long branches, and so many of them- of all of the ideas and inspirations that our minds can imagine. This was inspiring to me, and so I decided to stop at this nice bench:)

I am excited to share the books I have finished this Fall. At this point, I still have at least 5 to finish before December 21st, which is the first day of Winter. There are also still many things I would like to do and accomplish, and crazy to think that this year of 2016 is fastly approaching to an end. Some of these include finishing the sewing project that is soon to be done! I also want to get back into knitting again, keep up with my language studies, organize my tutoring materials/notes, and try out more new recipes to post on Plum Tree, as well as my own cookbook archive:)

While on my run, had to capture this beautiful pink undertone sky!

Nice snack while tutoring! I gave my student a cupcake for an early birthday (homemade by my mom from wedding reception), and I got two in return! Ha

It's November! Which means Family, Turkey and Cooking! Had to get some new recipes from this cooking food magaize:)

Coming up: I am planning to make a Turkish dish, just want enough people to enjoy it, and Friday night can leave people to scatter. Also, favorite books from 2016, favorite words from all the languages I have and am studying and some creative projects!! Till next time..

Making Kafta For A Not So Formal Goodbye

I've finally made time to make a recipe from one of the nice and invititng cookbooks from the library. The cookbooks section is one of my favorites, so many ideas and inspiration that it makes me excited looking at all of the options. This time I picked a recipe from a Middle Eastern Cookbook.

This cookbook is interesting to look at and seeing all of the possibilities. I decided to make a similar dish to what I made before, Kafta but a different version than before. I wanted to make a nice dish for my sister's last night, since she moved out today with her husband to a place not too faraway, which is good. :) It will be a good deal different without her here everyday, I've gained so much and we've had so much amazing and enjoyable times these past 5 years especially. Life is truly a journey, and I would say an unpredictable one, so many twists and turns, times where it feels like a big, long tunnel and others when it feels like it's a sunny day all day. I've seen all of these avenues, and although have expereinced them from time to time, not as powerful as my sister has. Those 5 years have been mighty, meaningful and full of discovery. I had my close sister by my side, while she was figuring everything out while I was by her. Our best support system that didn't stop, but only grew and grew made our friendship and bond stronger and closer than ever. I realized more and more that sisters are a blessing but the ones who become really good friends are an extra blessing. What a blessing she has been in my life- in my young adult expereince, college days and in creating new ideas and hobbies. 

So many memories that at times feel like a blur, yet at other times  I can remember every word, occurence and detail in a given moment, I think that's what can make it hard, remembering almost everything and focusing too much on the past. I look at the past more than looking forward to the future, but I think that it's important to do both. These days wont be easy, nor these months but it's going to make me stronger. I know I am ready for this, but sometimes saying a not so formal goodbye until later can be difficult and emotional just as much as a formal one. But as soul sisters, I don't think many things will change, and I need to keep looking toward the future even though it can feel  foreign to me, but it's also exciting!

Now for the recipe...

This recipe is fun to make, you get to use your hands and mash all of the ingredients together- it's easier that way. The aroma is pretty stronger with the spices involved, but people will compliment you and you will shortly have their mouth watering. It's an overall easy recipe, it just takes sometime to put all together and cook- that takes the longest. I didn't put potatos in my dish, since it probvably would have taken twice as long, but I'm sure it would have tasted nice with the addition of them. I will keep this one in my cookbook archives since it will be a keeper! Until next time...

Pumpkin Cheesecake & New Things

Today I made my first cheesecake. I have been meaning to bake, since I have been feeling more and more comfortable with cooking. I have been accumalting recipes for about a year now, and only a few of them are desserts, but I decided to give it a go. White Chococlate Pumpkin Cheesecake. Perfect for the Autumn season, and a mix of flavors. I've heard that cheesecake is difficult to make, since most people buy theirs. I understand that more now since baking a dessert like a cheescake requires a good amount of time and money- there's a lot of ingredients! Overall, it was a good challenge and a learning expereince. Learning how much salt to put in (I unfortunately put in too much), as well as burnt the chcocolate chips the first time around in the microwave making the microwave smoke so heavily, it looked like a thick fog. But somethings you'll never fully learn or remember something until you make a mistake. As a quote I like says, "There is no failure. Either you win or you learn, either is okay."

I think this is my favorite time of Fall, in the middle of October before Halloween and before the onset of the holiday rush. The newness of Autumn is still in the air. The weather is overall nice, with the crisp air and crunchy red-orange leaves; the sun is still shining brightly. This is also the time of year when I soon think about the end of the year, and start looking back on the year as whole. So many exciting things, yet how fast time can truly go!

Went to a new restaurant with sisters, Yalla Meditterean. Liked the inside decour!

I thought it was an interesting place, Middle Eastern style restaurant, although I wouldn't say it's a restaurant. Just think Chipotle style mixed with Arabic food. I ordered Kefta with the Jerusalem style wrap. A lot of different flavors all wrapped in one, including french fires inside! I thought it was a cool place, and especially since I've gotten my feet wet with the Arabic language and tried some food- as well as made some food (Moroccan Kefta), so I felt connected in some way. It was also really nice to enjoy some quality time with my sisters, doesn't always happen too often. 

This month of October has flown by. I figured out what I'm going to be for Halloween...coming soon! And in one week is my sister and brother-in-law's wedding reception. The Maid of Honor has an important role to play, and I think I've lived up to it pretty well. Weddings these days are so commercialized and watered down, and the wedding party along with it. But I see myself as a different Maid of Honor, one without the drama and only room for support and love for my dearest sister and friend. It's not all about catching the boquet (which I have done at my other sister's wedding 3 years back :)), or outdoing the other brides maids, those things don't matter to me. The only thing that I'm worried about is my Toast. It seems so simple and straightforward, but when you're talking about your best friend, sometimes you don't want to leave anything out, or maybe I just put a lot of pressure on myself? Either way, it will be an exciting day- to see new and familar faces all celebrating the marriage of two very important and special people in my life. 

Creating Inspiration

This time of year always comes with inspiration-seeking, a dive for interesting books,a love for fall fashion, and always feeling ready to pack my bags for a day at a cafe, or talk a walk wherever the red, orange and semi-green leaves take me! Fall gives me plenty to do and think about, which makes life that much more interesting.

A year ago during this time I was thinking about traveling to Taiwan for study abroad. In the end, it didn't feel right or work out which was meant to be, and am grateful for all that did happen. Fall comes with reflection and contemplation, it can help slow down time and to really focus on the present moment.

Now here is some inspiration!

Yayy for Plaid

Love them!

Love their makeup

My kinda thing

One of my favorites:)

October Has Come

October is here, finally. I think October is one of my favorite months of the year. It's the true Autumn month and makes me feel warm inside. It's also the time where I can dig out my scarves, boots and nice warm sweaters. October is also considered Mary's month, which is another reason for having a strong connection with the 10th month of the year. I wanted to write about some of my favorite Mary Apparations, which are the appearances of Mary through out the world. I think it would also be good if I could learn some more about each of them as well. :)

Our Lady of China

I find this devotion and apparation of Mary to be very personal and special to me. China has a long history, and part of it being related to the Catholic Church and the politics involved with that. Also, something I should learn more about. Learning Chinese has been part of me for a while now, and I feel that I have a strong connection with it, so Our Lady of China is one of my favorites.












Our Lady of Kibeho

I have heard a good amount about Our Lady of Kibeho, and there is even a book about it that I have started reading a while back and still want to continue reading! From what I know, it's a pretty amazing story and her appearance in Rwanda is not forgotten.












Our Lady of Vailankanni/Our Lady of Good Health

I wanted to research if there ever was an apparation of Mary in India. I know that India does have Catholicism, yet hadn't heard about an appearance of Mary. I would like to learn more about this devotion and appearance of Mary, I only read a little. But since I am pursuing the Hindi language, I feel that it would also be important as well as special to know about.










Our Lady of Lourdes

I have not had the privedlge yet of seeing this amazing holy site, but learning the story as a young girl has helped me have a stronger devotion to this apparation, and has become one of my favorites as well.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe is a very famous apparation of Mary, and I think it's one of my favorites. I see it everywhere, since it's quite popular. I really love the story as well. I have an image in my room, and it was the church where my sister and her husband got married in El Salvador. So personally, it's one of the most special of all.:)

Our Lady of Fatima

I also grew up with learning about the story behind this apparation, and would also call it a favorite of mine. Our Lady of Fatima had such a powerful impact in our world, and I only want to grow deeper in this beautiful and strong appearance of Mary.

Our Lady of Czestochowa

I want to have a stronger devotion to Our Lady of Czestochowa, and I was going to go to Poland this past summer for World Youth Day, but as life always seems to surprise you, Brazil made it's way into the picture instead. The Black Madonna is also another term for this apparation. Although I didn't get to go there, I still would like to read more about it, as well as the affects on Poland.

I think that covers my most favorite apparations of Mary. Of course, there are more that I did not mention that are also recognized. I hope to gaina stronger devotion to Mary espcecially during this beautiful month of October!